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Steinbeck's "East of Eden" and several scenes for the Michael
Douglas/Sharon Stone movie "Basic Instinct" were shot in Carmel Valley
and Carmel Highlands.
And it's not just movies: scores of commercials hawking everything
from automobiles to clothing to credit cards have been shot here. In fact,
it's safe to say that while sitting through an evening of network television,
at least one Monterey County image will appear on the screen. Television
has long been aware of the visual appeal of Monterey County. The open-
ing sequence of the late 1960s motorcycle adventure show "Then Came
Bronson" featured helicopter footage of star Michael Parks riding his
Harley Davidson Sportster down Highway 1 and over the Bixby Creek
Bridge. More recently, the final episode of "Mad Men" was shot in a Big
Sur meadow that stood in for Esalen Institute.
"We want residents to be happy and embrace future filming and the
proceeds those productions bring," Nordstrand says.
And it seems as if those involved in filmmaking here are content to
come here as well.
"If I could produce a show that filmed here every day," says Fienberg,
"I'd love it."
For more information on the Monterey County Film Commission and/or to
download the Monterey County Movie Map, visit www.FilmMonterey.org.
112 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 1 6
"Bixby Creek Bridge on Highway 1 is the most photographed site in our county," says Karen Nordstrand. In addition to feature films,
countless commercials—such as this one being shot here for Corona beer—have used the bridge as a backdrop.
Photos: Courtesy of Monterey County Film Commission
Modern filmmaking is highly tech-
nical. Production companies bring
large crews, pouring revenue into
Monterey County coffers.